Grieving Family: 'Guilty Must Be Brought to Justice'

Family of Hila Bezaleli, Israeli soldier who was killed on Mount Herzl on Wednesday, condemned the negligence that caused the tragedy.

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Rachel Hirshfeld, 19/04/12 16:04

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Israel news photo: Flash 90

The family of Lieutenant Hila Bezaleli, the 20-year-old female Israeli soldier who was killed on Mount Herzl on Wednesday, condemned the negligence that caused the tragic accident.

Hila was killed when a heavy lighting fixture collapsed during rehearsals for an Independence Day Ceremony. The grieving family implored that the upcoming Yom HaAtzmaut ceremony, symbolizing the ‘eternal flame of Israel,’ be named in Hila’s memory, Israel’s Nana Channel 10 news reported.

“At least they can read her name at the ceremony,” said Hila’s brother, Niv.

Design Group, the company that constructed the stage upon which the lighting fixture collapsed, blamed the organizers for failing to clear the premises after noticing that the structures were unstable.

The group’s two owners, as well as its safety consultant and engineer were arrested on Wednesday. The company said it adhered to the instructions of engineers and supervisors and did not veer from safety regulations.

"The installation was not built today and has been standing for over 10 days," the company said.

Hila's brother, Niv Bezaleli, claimed the accident was the result of negligence, adding that his family won't rest until the responsible party is brought to justice.

"The price must be paid, whether by the laborers, the producers, or anyone else," he said.

Friends and relatives came to console the grieving family after Wednesday’s tragic event.

"They took my girl away for nothing," Hila's mother told mourners who arrived at her home on Thursday. "People only care about the money they get, they don't bother doing their job professionally.” .

"If my daughter would have died during a (military) operation in Jericho, I would have known she died for the country. But these soldiers were put at risk for nothing," she added. "This wasn't the first time, it was a miracle that similar incidents in the past didn't end in tragedy."